And Secrets Come Out
by dancingandsingingintherain
Summary: Tension between the two best friends, Barbara and Dick, runs high when Dick reveals about Kaldur and Artemis being undercover before the team goes and destroys The Light. In return Barbara uses Dick's greatest fear against him. In the end will the two be able to over come their differences in time to fight The Light?


"Team report for briefing," Dick's voice came over the intercom. Like second nature, I stood and walked towards my closet that held my Batgirl costume. After slipping the costume on and checking to see if I had everything, I left for the briefing.

I was one of the last team members there, but you should know that humans can only change so fast. I looked towards the front of the room to see Dick and Wally in full costume.

"No offense, but Wally what the hell are you doing here in costume none the less?" I asked him.

"I missed you too," Wally mumbled in reply.

"Wally will be helping with the mission today," Dick answered.

"Which begs the question, what is our mission?" Karen asked leaning against Mal a few feet to my left.

"It's about Kaldur and Artemis and Wally and I," Dick spoke slowly.

"Well, don't stop there hermono. Keep going," Jamie told him.

"Well you see, Kaldur isn't working for The Light. Well, I mean he is, but not in the way you think he is," Dick started.

"What are you on?" I asked him.

"Nothing. I'm telling all of you the truth. For about a year now Kaldur has been in deep undercover to gain The Light's trust and to gather their secrets. It started a few weeks after he figured out the Black Manta was his father. Later we figured that he needed help on the inside. Help from someone that knew the ropes, rules, and boundaries of an organization or an environment like the one that Kaldur was-is in. That's where Artemis came in," Dick explained.

"Wait so you're saying that Artemis isn't really dead? You conned us," Mal added into the conversation.

"Yes," Dick told everyone earning him gasps and wide eyes, but he only received anger from me.

"But I thought that Conner didn't hear her heartbeat," Garfield said perplexed.

"It was all an elaborate trick. From this we convinced The Light that Artemis, an old friend of Kaldur's, was killed by Kaldur earning even more trust from The Light. Artemis went undercover as Tigress and changed her entire appearance to everyone except for Kaldur, herself, Wally and I from the help of a glamor charm provided by Zatanna. On a side note, Zatanna didn't even know what it was for or why it was needed. She wasn't involved in anyway besides the glamor charm. Along the way M'gann, Conner, La'gann and Artemis' sister and father found out. The reason why we didn't tell you or anyone besides who was in on it was to make the whole thing believable for The Light. We are telling you now because tonight we take down The Light," Dick finished.

"There aren't words to begin to describe what complete and utter assholes you all are," I seethed through clenched teeth. From my words both Wally's and Dick's heads hung in shame. Pointing an angry finger at Dick as I took a step towards him I asked infuriated, "You were behind it all. Weren't you?"

"I was," Dick calmly replied as he took a step closer to me, "Something had to be done about The Light."

"Don't you think that there could have been other ways? Ways that involved us knowing!" I gestured to the team behind me. "God, everyday you amaze me," I said to Dick. "Do you even remember when you told me that you didn't want to turn out like him? Well congratulations, you are exactly maybe even worse then him!"

I could read on Dick's face that my words stung more than anything to him. He would always tell me that he didn't want to end up like Batman, but over the years you could see that he did exactly that. I could now see what I have done to him and the rage and hurt in Dick's eyes.

"I'm sorry," I whispered knowing that I more than crossed the boundaries.

"No, please keep going. You were really on a roll there," anger and deep hurt were evident in his voice as he spoke.

"Dick don't do this, especially in front of everyone," I whispered - pleaded never feeling this weak in front of anyone in my entire life.

"No, seriously keep going. What else were you going to say about me being exactly like him?" Dick's voice was dangerously low.

Caving in anger of him talking to me like he was I shouted, "Fine! Just remember that you asked for it. You keep everything a secret and think that telling someone you will put them in danger when you know that they can fully take care of themselves. You only ask for help when you want it, but when someone offers you help when you need it you turn them down and then wallow in self pity. You don't let anyone in and when you do if the going gets tough you push them away. You barely trust the ones around you with almost anything. You keep everything bottled up and when you get shaken just the slightest you blowup even when you know it's the stupidest thing you still blowup!"

"Well, if that's how you feel then I think that you should know that you do all those things too!" Dick yelled back.

"Keep secrets to keep loved ones out of danger, yes only if they aren't already in the superhero gig. Ask for help when I need it, yes, but when someone offers their help I may turn it down, but I usually turn my ass right around once I figure out that they're right. You don't do that. I let people in when I know that I need them while you two push everyone away. You guys barely even trust your own family, whether that be the team or Rob, Alfie, me, with secrets and this one that you just told us is a perfect example. I keep some things bottled, but everyone does that it just matters if you blowup without a good, solid reason. That is how I'm different than you two," I huffed.

"Well, if that's how you feel..." Dick started.

"That is how I feel. Just remember that you were the one asking for it," I remind him as I start to walk away. He grabbed my arms and pulled me into him rather harshly.

"Barbara just remember that you keep secrets from teammates all the time. Some of the time you don't turn that pretty little ass of ours around to take someone's offer. You push people away too, people you love and care about. You don't trust Bats and you don't trust me with some of you secrets. And you blowing up right there is a perfect example of keeping things bottled up," Dick retaliated. Never had I ever been that afraid of him in my entire life. With a huff, I ripped my arms out of his grasp and walked away will angry, hot tears not to spill over just yet. What scared me most was that most of the things he said were true.

* * *

I ran to my room at the cave and threw off my Batgirl costume and changing into civilian clothes. I needed to get out of the cave as fast as possible. Once out side the premises of the cave, I speed walked to the Happy Harbor park. I walked into the woods not looking back at the laughing smiling children, teen and adults. I walked in a path that I knew by heart and started to form a small path on the ground from coming here so often.

Soon the trees thinned until there came a small clearing no bigger then my bedroom in my small apartment. With a deep breath I sat down in the middle of the clearing and let all the tears out. There was no one there to comfort me, but I didn't need anyone to comfort me. This was my place of refuge. This was my safe house that no knew else knew about and I wanted to keep it that way.

After a few hours of crying my tear ducts were all dried out. I had enough of just sitting and crying because that wasn't going to do anything about the situation. Looking back and evaluating the blowout, I realized that I was the one that blew my top. I was the one that caved into anger.

_He may have betrayed you first, but you betrayed him too,_ I thought. _You betrayed him by doing the unthinkable and used something he entrusted in you with and used it against him in front of everyone. Now what will happen? You probably ruined the best friendship that you have ever had because you blew up. Nice going Barbara._

"What the hell am I going to do?" I asked myself out loud.

"I don't know. What the hell are you going to do, Barbara?" I froze at the voice. And here I am thinking that this place was a personal safe house, a sanctuary. I turned around only to have it confirmed that Dick was in deed standing on the edge of the clearance.

"So you know about this place too? And here I thought I was the only one that knew," I said to him trying desperately to lighten the mood. He wasn't having it. Standing up I walked over to him calmly and collectively as he watched my every move carefully. Looking him straight in the eye I sincerely said, "I'm sorry." He didn't give a signal that he even acknowledged me besides staring me down. Taking a deep breath I continued, "I'm sorry that I blew up in front of everybody. That was uncalled for and childish. And if it counts at all both you and I are like Bruce, but you're different in all ways that it matters. I'm sorry that I betrayed you in the worst way possible, by using your worst fear against you. What I'm trying to say is that I am sorry for everything."

I waited for five minutes for a reaction out of Dick. At the least a head nod, but there was no head nod. No sign of acknowledgement or reaction. I sighed blowing out through my nose before I straightened by hoodie and started to leave the clearing.

Without even looking at me Dick reached out and grabbed my arm pulling me back in front of him. I stumbled a little out of shock, but quickly regained my balance.

"I'm sorry," Dick said. Taking a deep breath he continued, "I'm sorry for pressuring you into blowing up. I'm sorry for saying that you're just like Bruce to because, God, you are the complete opposite. And I am truly deeply sorry for betraying your trust by not telling you about Artemis and Kaldur going undercover. I am the most sorry for being a terrible friend and don't say that you're a terrible friend too because compared to me you are a saint. And before you ask, you are forgiven. Am I forgiven?"

"That depends on if you stop keeping these huge secrets from me," I tell him. I knew that I was treading on thin ice, but I had to make him promise.

"I promise," he said with a gleam in his eye that made me know that he meant to keep that promise no matter what.

"Then you're forgiven," I tell him. His face breaks out in a full on smile as he pulls me into one of his bear hugs.

"So how did you find this place?" I asked Dick. I know that he could hear me despite my voice being muffled by hit t-shirt because he replied, "One day I just decided to follow you and whenever you weren't using this place and I needed it, I would use this as a safe house, a sanctuary."

* * *

**A/N: This was meant to be a one-shot, so I won't be continuing the story. Sorry to those who are disappointed. Although, reviews are still greatly accepted with a warm welcome :)**


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